AUGUST LOOKS like being a strongly Saturnian month,with some very useful support from the fire energiesand with some places of significant uncomfortabilityas some very different reality systems collide.

This is not so much a problem for Leo in general andthe Lion in each of us, as all of life is a great dramafrom his perspective. That this great cosmic drama ofintense T-squares and the like should be happening onhis watch is only fitting. The confrontation with greatchallenges can bring out the best in people and, asthey say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.The Sun in Leo is in good form in this respect as partof a grand trine with Jupiter in Sagittarius and thehealing asteroid Hygeia in Aries. Whatever happens,there will be great healing and great learning. Thiscombination of courage, expansiveness and depth ensuresthat we can draw much of value from this time in waysthat can healthily expand our sense of self to be moreincorporative of many diverse aspects of our whole selves.

In terms of discomfort, we can't go past a T-squarebetween the Moon in Aquarius, not far from Neptune,with Mars in Taurus and Saturn in Leo conjunct Venusin Virgo. Phew! That Saturn is in its last weeks ofbeing in Leo and is a major player (conjunct the Sun)in a total lunar eclipse on the 28th ensures that inmany ways, this is its month.

Saturn's journey through Leo is a tough, yet empowering,assignment and a very terse one as the extroverted Lionmeets discipline, containment and various timely egodefeats to enforce some serious considerations of howhe uses his energies. On one level, Leo is a big kidtrying to find its real self among all the traps ofarrogance and self aggrandisement. Saturn, on the otherhand, is trying to show him that the world is more thanjust a big show for one's own entertainment and is actuallya much bigger stage to shine as a leader and as an agentof solar benevolence. In order to achieve this goal,he has to trip up some of the lesser expressions ofa truly noble energy.

Wherever Leo is in our individual charts is a placewhere Saturn has been applying this blowtorch for thelast two years, to get us to be more focused and empoweredin how we express ourselves in whatever house(s) helives in.As a part of the T-square, Saturn puts some breaks onour relationships (Moon and Venus), our ability to actand achieve (Mars), and on how much we can escape intoour heads or into spiritual lalaland because the emotionalenergies have become too tough (Moon and Neptune). Inthis rather vice-like situation, hence the discomfort,Saturn is attempting to show us how we trip ourselvesup with unresolved anger and father issues, escapistbehaviours, unclear motives, emotional delusions andinadequate beliefs about ourselves and life.

This is a hell of a list and begs the question of why,for what point? Ultimately, it's about getting realand taking deeper responsibility for repairing our weakspots and our sense of inadequacy. With Saturn it'salways about going deeper, of finding greater wisdomand authority in creating our lives. In alchemical texts,Saturn was also known as the "Ring Passeth Not";that is, the furthest extent in which you can go - spiritually,emotionally, on any level - with normal ego-consciousness.In this way it can appear to keep us separate from wholeness,from unity, from God. But this is not true, as the ringis an initiation point that can be passed if you godeep enough to where Saturn is actually a great unifier.This is the great secret of whenever he appears to begiving us a hard time.

From a unified perspective, the T-square is then anopportunity to learn more about how to integrate ourhighest visions and awareness, with the ability to actand manifest in the world with both great sensitivityand healthy realism. In relationships it representsthe ability to see our love and our loved ones withgreater clarity, truth and humility, and to be sensitiveto the feelings of others without losing a healthy separateness.One of the greatest changes possible at this time isto see the negative image of the critical and suppressingfather within progressively turn into the wise, benevolentfather. At least, this is one of the ultimate goalsof this time and that of the last of the Saturn/Neptuneoppositions of this last year.

To reinforce this theme, Saturn is trining Pluto exactlythis month, linking the earthing and stabilising energiesof Saturn with a place of great transformative powerwithin each of us. It means that we have the empowerment,at least potentially, to shift some of the deepest energiesin our psyches while learning more about our essentialpotency to make significant change in our lives thattake us closer to manifesting what we are truly hereto do. This combination adds considerable support formaking the most of whatever challenges get thrown atus this month. All power to you.

Daniel Sowelu (BSc DipEd) is a therapeutic astrologer,primal therapist and group leader in his 21st year ofprivate practice.